October 25th, 2021
The first week of November is Treaties Recognition Week as proclaimed by the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (MIRR) in 2016. It honours the importance of treaties and helps Ontarians learn more about treaty rights, treaty relationships and their role as treaty people.
First Nations’ process of treaty-making existed for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans and is based on the understanding that treaties are legal agreements between two or more nations. Most of Ontario is covered by 46 treaties and other land-use agreements made between various First Nations and the Crown between 1781 and 1930.
Every Canadian is a treaty person and has a responsibility to the treaty relationship.
Treaties Recognition Week offers special learning opportunities for students and staff to improve their understanding of how Indigenous Nations entered into agreements with European Nations. As independent parties, each with their own languages, laws, and ways of being, these agreements were made Nation to Nation in equal partnership.
Marking Treaties Recognition Week in the WRDSB
Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) staff are being supported with a variety of resources and professional development opportunities from the Indigenous, Equity, and Human Rights Department, so that they may share their knowledge with students and our community. This includes an after-school networking session designed to help staff learn more about treaties and treaty relationships.
How you can participate in Treaties Recognition Week
Students, families and community members are invited to take part in expanding their understanding of historical and contemporary Indigenous-Canadian relations.
- Virtual Living Library events, organized by the Province, provide an opportunity for you to listen and learn from Indigenous Elders and knowledge keepers as they share their experience and perspectives around treaties.
- History of treaties in Ontario offers information on the history of treaties and the treaty relationship.
- Teaching and learning resources to help increase your understanding of the importance of treaties in Ontario.
What are you doing for Treaties Recognition Week? Share with us by mentioning @wrdsb on Twitter or @wr_dsb on Instagram and using the hashtag #IndigenousWRDSB.
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